A known flying toy of this type is described on page 7 of the April 1991 "Business gifts" catalogue of the French firm Fix Shop in Strasbourg. That flying toy, called an "Astronaut-jet", comprises a conventional inflatable balloon, a model figure made of foam rubber, and an assembly accessory. The model figure represents an astronaut with slightly bent legs and carrying a backpack. A cylindrical duct passes from top to bottom through the backpack and is occupied by a balloon inflation appendage. The assembly accessory is a tube inserted into the end of the appendage that projects from the backpack. It serves both to hold all the parts together and also to provide a mouthpiece for inflating the balloon and an air ejection nozzle while the balloon is deflating.
According to the catalogue, with a fully-inflated balloon of good quality, the resulting jet flying toy may overfly as many as five meters, according to the catalogue (with the altitude achieved not being mentioned). Given the complex shape of the object and the distance between its center of gravity and the thrust axis of the jet, this is a relatively advantageous result that is liked by children. However, such performance is far from satisfying an aeronautical engineer.
In general terms, the object of the invention is to provide a family of flying toys that make best use of the potential energy accumulated in the elastic wall under tension of an inflated balloon.
Reduced to its essential characteristics, a first particular object of the invention is to provide, by means of an elastic-walled balloon and a novel nozzle, a jet flying toy capable of rising to a relatively great height.
A second particular object of the invention is to provide, by means of an elastic-walled balloon, a novel nozzle provided with fastenings of a first type, and a trajectory stabilizer of a first type fixed to said fastenings, a jet flying toy suitable for rising to a relatively great height and for following a determined trajectory that is adjustable in advance.
A third particular object of the invention is to provide, by means of an elastic-walled balloon, a novel nozzle provided with fastenings of a second type, and a trajectory stabilizer of a second type fixed to one of said fastenings, a jet flying toy, likewise capable of rising to a relatively great height.
A fourth particular object of the invention is to provide by means of an elastic-walled balloon, a novel nozzle provided with fastenings of both said first and said second types, and associated with appropriate accessories, a jet flying toy capable of flying and gliding over a relatively great distance.